Council Tentatively Approves Sheriff’s Office FY27 Budget
Speaking on behalf of Sheriff Jason Wardlow Herrerra, Los Alamos Police Chief Dino Sgambellone presents the FY27 budget for the Sheriff’s Office to the council Monday night. Council voted unanimously to tentatively approve the office’s $18,671 budget. Screenshot/LADP Read More
Council Tentatively Approves Municipal Court’s FY27 Budget
Los Alamos Municipal Court Judge Elizabeth Allen presents the Municipal Court’s FY27 budget to the council Monday night. Council voted unanimously to tentatively approve the court’s $945,750 budget. Screenshot LADP Read More
Council Tentatively Approves Probate Court’s FY27 Budget
Speaking on behalf of Los Alamos Probate Judge Perry Klare, County Clerk Michael Redondo presents the Probate Court’s FY27 budget to the council Monday night. Council voted unanimously to tentatively approve the Probate Court’s $19,149 budget. Screenshot/LADP Read More
Council Tentatively OKs Attorney’s Office FY27 Budget
County Attorney Alvin Leaphart presents his Office’s FY27 budget to the council Monday night. Council voted unanimously to tentatively approve the $1.6 million budget for the Attorney’s Office. Screenshot/LADP Read More
Los Alamos County Edges Closer To Banning Plastic Bags
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
The issue of whether to ban plastic bags is, funnily enough, similar to plastic bags themselves. Neither decomposes nor fades away. They will exist for years and years.
Ten years ago, there was a debate on whether to ban plastic bags. Potential plastic bag bans have appeared sporadically since, most recently during the April 7 Los Alamos County Council meeting. During the meeting, it was voted 6-1 to direct the Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB) to return to council in 90 days with a proposed plastic bag ban. Councilor David Read More
U.S. Senators Heinrich, Klobuchar, Merkley Lead Colleagues To Raise Concerns About Forest Service Reorganization
From the Office of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, led a letter to the Trump administration expressing strong concerns about the reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Read More
DPLAC To Host Coffee With A Candidate May 2
DPLAC News:
The Democratic Party of Los Alamos County will host Coffee with a Candidate from 8:30–10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 2, at Pig + Fig Cafe in White Rock.
DPLAC will hold their regular first Monday of the month meeting at 6:30 p.m., May 4, 2026.
Planned agenda items for May 4 meeting:
- Candidate introductions, 3 minutes each
- Executive team updates (Chair, Vice Chair, Ward Chairs)
- Upcoming events
- Early voting starts May 5
- Next monthly meeting June 1, 630p, location White Rock Public Library
In person option: Mesa Public Library, 2400 Central Ave, Los Alamos, NM 87544
County Leaders Advocate For Federal Disaster Reform
NACo News:
WASHINGTON — The National Association of Counties (NACo) and nearly 20 county leaders from 13 states are coming together for a leadership fly-in meeting April 28-29 in Washington, D.C. focused on disaster reform. The participants are members of NACo’s Intergovernmental Disaster Reform Task Force, a group of elected and appointed county leaders focused on strengthening our nation’s disaster mitigation, response and recovery capabilities.
In 2025, 680 counties experienced at least one federally declared disaster, 588 counties had at least one major disaster declaration, Read More
Gubernatorial Candidate Deb Haaland Leads In Polls
Gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland
From the campaign of Deb Haaland:
ALBUQEURQUE — In two public polls released over the last week, Deb Haaland continues to hold a strong lead in the Democratic primary.
Data from the Albuquerque Journal and KRQE/Emerson College agrees, Haaland is poised to secure the nomination by double digits. According to the Journal poll, she is leading across demographic groups and with Independent voters. Meanwhile, Haaland’s opponent fails to gain ground despite campaigning for over a year and spending millions on advertising.
“Deb Haaland heads into the final Read More
More Scenes From Certification Of Local Voting Machines
Los Alamos County Clerk Michael Redondo certifies voting machines April 21 at the Municipal Building in preparation for the June 2 Primary Election. A third party observed the certification process, Carmen Lopez from Observe New Mexico Elections. Lopez explained that observing the certification process is important because it helps people learn how elections work and helps to build public confidence in election outcomes when elections are run well. ‘We train hundreds of volunteers from across the state about the details of how different election processes work, and then observers complete Read More
Los Alamos County Council Budget Hearings Begin Monday
Council members from left, David Reagor, Vice Chair Ryn Herrmann, Beverly Neal-Clinton, Melanee Hand, Chair Randall Ryti, Suzie Havemann and Teresa Cull. Courtesy/LAC
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County Council’s Budget Hearings begin at 6 p.m. Monday and may run through Wednesday in Council Chambers at the Mhunicipal Building, 1000 Central Ave.
The hearing is open to the public. A Zoom option is offered for remote participation: Zoom Link.
View the agendas for the Budget Hearings at lacnm.com/agenda and use the eComments tool to provide public comment.
Agendas are posted 72 hours before Read More
Semi-Open Primaries Debut This Election Year
Los Alamos County Clerk Michael Redondo certifies voting machines Tuesday at the Municipal Building in preparation for the June 2 Primary Election. This year’s primary election will be different from previous ones because the state legislature passed a bill allowing unaffiliated voters to participate in the primary without changing their voter registration. A third party observed the certification process, Carmen Lopez from Observe New Mexico Elections. Lopez explained that observing the certification process is important because it helps people learn how elections work and helps Read More
Senator Luján Addresses Push To Fund ICE & CBP
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement after Senate Republicans passed a partisan budget resolution that pours up to $140 billion into ICE and Border Patrol without any accountability while doing nothing to lower costs for American families:
“At a time when high prices squeeze New Mexicans at every turn, my Republican colleagues should focus on lowering costs for American families. Instead, they are advancing a partisan bill that hands up to $140 billion to ICE and CBP with no reforms, accountability, Read More
Representatives Dow, Pettigrew Call For Review Of Sole Source Contracts
STATE News:
SANTA FE — House Republican Caucus Chair Rebecca Dow (R- Truth or Consequences) and Rep. Randall T. Pettigrew (R- Lea County) are urging the State Purchasing Division within the General Services Department to review a growing number of sole source contracts across state government.
A sole source contract allows an agency to award a contract without a competitive bidding process when only one vendor is deemed able to provide the service.
In a joint letter, the lawmakers warned that agencies are bypassing standard procurement rules meant to protect taxpayers and ensure fair competition. Read More
NMED Issues Draft Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Permit
NMED News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Environment Department today proposed revisions to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant hazardous waste operating permit, strengthening enforcement of federal cleanup obligations for legacy waste stored at federal facilities across the country.
The proposed permit modifications codify commitments the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) made in its 2023 settlement agreement with New Mexico. Under that agreement, DOE committed to prioritizing disposal of legacy waste in a new underground disposal unit at the Waste Isolation Pilot Read More
Luján Presses Secretary Kennedy On Cuts To Medicaid, Demands Answers On HHS Employment David Geier
Sen. Luján on MSNOW Discussing Secretary Kennedy’s policies. Courtesy photo
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — During a Senate Finance Committee hearing, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) pressed U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on his policies that are endangering the health of the American people.
Specifically, Sen. Luján pressed Secretary Kennedy on deep Republican cuts to Medicaid, Secretary Kennedy’s long history of pushing vaccine misinformation, and the employment of David Geier, an anti-vaccine activist, at the Department Read More
Rep. Vasquez’s Downwinder Commemoration Act Advances To House Floor With Unanimous, Bipartisan Support
U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez
STATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C.— April 21, 2026, U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) announced that his Downwinder Commemoration Act unanimously passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee, marking a major bipartisan step toward establishing a permanent monument honoring New Mexico’s Downwinders at White Sands National Park. The park receives over 700,000 visitors a year and sits less than 100 miles from the site of the Trinity Test.
This win builds on Rep. Vasquez’s success in passing the Downwinder Commemoration Act into law through the FY26 National Defense Read More
Rep. Gabe Vasquez Speaks Out Against Cuts To USFS
Rep. Gabe Vasquez speaks to the House of Representatives, April 21. Courtesy photo
U.S. HOUSE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On April 21, 2026, U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) delivered a speech on the House floor condemning the Administration’s decision to gut the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), citing concerns about increased wildfire risks and threats to public lands just ahead of Earth Day.
“I’m a hunter, I’m an angler, and someone who spends a lot of time in my national forests. I know my supervisors, my district rangers, and even the volunteer crews. And as the co-founder of the bipartisan Public Read More
Dukes Up Presents: The Debate Games To Feature Gubernatorial Candidates Sam Bregman & Deb Haaland
NMPBS News:
The charitable organization Dukes Up will present The Debate Games featuring Sam Bregman and Deb Haaland, a gubernatorial Democratic primary debate, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, on NMPBS Ch. 5.1, and 9 p.m. on Friday, May 8, on Ch 5.4. The program will also stream free on the PBS app and NMPBS YouTube channel at the time of initial broadcast.
To be filmed 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, at CNM’s Smith Brasher Auditorium in Albuquerque, the event will feature New Mexico’s Democratic candidates for governor, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Bernalillo County District Attorney Read More
New Mexico Supreme Court’s Unanimous Decision Places Republican Rep. Rebecca Dow Back On Ballot
Rep. Rebecca Dow, R–Doña Ana, Sierra & Socorro
RPNW News:
SANTA FE – The Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM) issued the following announcement this morning on the New Mexico Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in Republican candidate Rep. Rebecca Dow’s ballot access case:
“The New Mexico Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to place Rebecca Dow back on the ballot is a victory for fairness, election integrity, and the rule of law.” RPNM Chairwoman Amy Barela said. “After the partisan ruling from the Doña Ana County judge, the Supreme Court recognized the truth: the system is flawed, and Read More
